Ten ideas to save the planet: keeping our cool
In order to keep many businesses running computers must be cooled. But that comes at a price for the economy and the environment. So can companies continue to keep cool?
What idea policy or technology holds the greatest promise for tackling climate change? That was the question Channel 4 News posed to the scientific community over the past few weeks.
Thanks to the extensive contacts of the Science Media Centre at the Royal Institution Channel 4 News was able to email hundreds of scientists across various fields of expertise to sound-out their opinions.
Keeping businesses cool can be expensive and energy intensive. Increasingly companies are struggling to keep data centres, communication networks and power systems cool.
Air conditioning can prove a quick fix solution but it has repercussions for the environment.
According to the Carbon Trust air conditioning can increase a building’s energy consumption and associated carbon emissions by 100 per cent.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change recently scrapped a decision to stop using air conditioning in its London office. The trial was abandoned after departmental staff complained of noise from a nearby building site, the potential security risk and, “the wrong kind of breeze.”
Climate change: 10 ideas to save the planet
There are various ways to make air conditioning cost effective and greener such as making sure units do not operate below 24 degrees. The Carbon Trust also urges businesses to use free cooling coils which cool buildings naturally with air from outside.
The problem of controlling building heat has led to a new wave of innovations.
UK firm 4energy helped Vodafone reduce energy consumption at one of their base stations by 90 per cent.
The heat generated from a telecommunication basestation can seriously affect reliability and the life span of important equipment. The problem can be solved by air conditioning but that then creates an emission problem of its own.
4energy developed a system which directs hot air away from equipment using external exhausts via a system of composite ducts. The device then brings in cool air from outside which is filtered to remove debris and dirt.
“Green roofs” can also help cool buildings. According to Jeff Sorrill from the Green Roof Centre, Specially designed roof gardens can produce rainwater harvesting and flood retention – as well as cooling buildings.